Plasma kinetics in dusty plasmas

The time evolution of the plasma distribution functions (electrons and ions ) in dusty plasmas is found solving numerically the equations of the kineti c theory of dusty plasmas [Tsytovich and de Angelis, Phys. Plasmas 6, 1093 (1999); 7, 554 (2000)]. The role and importance of the plasma source and pa rticle diffusion are investigated. The "equilibrium" distributions (asympto tic solutions) are used to calculate the static screening of a dust particl e, and the difference with the usual result (Debye screening) of a three-co mponent plasma is shown for various parameter regimes. (C) 2001 American In stitute of Physics.